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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25038529">Ben 10: Fading Illusions</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/M001BoundedOmnipresence/pseuds/M001BoundedOmnipresence'>M001BoundedOmnipresence</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Ben 10 Series</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Dark, F/M</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-07-02</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-07-02</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-04 09:15:10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>8,601</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25038529</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/M001BoundedOmnipresence/pseuds/M001BoundedOmnipresence</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>What if you could go back and change anything? Or only one thing... this is what Gwendolyn Rose Tennyson does in order to save herself from a future... a terrible future. No matter what price, no matter what cost.</p><p>When the future Gwendolyn comes to the past and explains what she was willing to tell to her younger and former self... it will send ripples through the River that is time and perhaps... just perhaps... Gwen might learn what her future self didn't all those years ago...</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Ben Tennyson/Gwen Tennyson</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>5</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>19</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Ben 10: Fading Illusions</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><ul class="associations">


        <li>
            Inspired by

            <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/16346690">Little Moment: Stone in the River</a> by <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ericobard/pseuds/Ericobard">Ericobard</a>.
        </li>

    </ul><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Notes: So, this story idea is really a conglomerate of several inspirations by various other authors. Those namely being the Little Moments Universe created by Ericobard and Shadows59, and the developed story and idea of Hidden Inheritance by Heato-Kun.</p><p>The main things I am going to derive from these stories will be the concept of Time Travel from Little Moments “A Stone in the River”, except with a twist of course. That, and the general and actually well-thought background of Vilgax in “Warlord Ascending” from the same series. Of course, all of this background will be tweaked to meet the idea I have in mind.</p><p>But, I would like to thank these three authors for such great stories and writing, and for inspiring me to write this tale. Any and all ideas that are similar, or somewhat similar to the ideas they have presented belong to them. I do not wish to take any credit from that, but rather take credit for providing another interesting story.</p><p>So, without further ado…</p><p>Edit I: This edit is mainly a redo of the chapter. I reread it several times after posting it to the site and found myself slightly dissatisfied. So, I went back and edited, and this should be the final product.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p> </p><p>
  <em> <b>Ben 10: Fading Illusions</b> </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>Chapter I: Unexpected… Consequences…</b>
</p><hr/><p>
  <em> August 23rd, 2024 </em>
</p><p>
  <em> Vilgax Metropolitan Area </em>
</p><p>
  <em> 20:34 </em>
</p><hr/><p>Some would say that when they imagined the invasion of Earth from outer space, it would be with big huge hulking ship warships, that would rain fire down on the land. Or that they would land and send so many of their own and their war machine to subjugate the entire world. Some even said that they would come in peace, presenting us with technology that would boost our technological capability far faster and farther than we could ever have imagined.</p><p> </p><p>Currently, she believed that all of those were as far from the truth as possible. It had happened so… quickly. Usually, the guesses and tales told about how it would take months to conquer the Earth by land, perhaps even years. Unfortunately, they were wrong… all it took was a day.</p><p>The Earth, home to Humanity (Or Terrans as most of the other alien species called them), was brought to its knees by one being and his own army. But, interestingly enough, it was not through force… but through cooperation. When he came, he struck a deal with the governments of the world on Earth, and they’d accepted. The Deal… It was essentially that for their ultimate cooperation and loyalty, he would defend the Earth from any would-be significant internal and extraterrestrial threats. That they, in turn, would become part of the ever-growing Chimerian Empire.</p><p> </p><p>There were several other addendums and additions, as well as concessions upon the “Treaty of Earth”, but that was essentially what happened. Within twenty-four hours of signing the document, all the world was now owned and governed by one being. Something thought forever inconceivable, and it happened just like that. Since then, in the five years that the Earth has belonged to this being, it has only prospered.</p><p> </p><p>Any large scale conflicts were immediately resolved diplomatically, and if not civilly, then through quick and brutally efficient defeat. Any significant disparities throughout the world, such at the “1st” to “3rd” World Class ceased to exist. The Man, as some started to call him, wouldn’t allow it. Everyone was given equal opportunity to rise in society, or squalor in it. There was no biased beliefs in the new Government, no reservations, no bribery, no corruption. None of this was allowed.</p><p> </p><p>Cities and populations soon started to thrive, technologies skyrocketed and the quality of life for the average person increased dramatically. Even the lifespan of Humans/Terrans was predicted to increase with all of this advancement, by another thirty years. People were happy for once, feeling they were actually being treated fairly. The world over rejoiced for the beginning of a new age…</p><p> </p><p><em> “I wonder if anyone realizes what all they have lost, despite gaining this?” </em> thought a twenty-nine years of age woman, whose Fiery-Red hair glowed with the sunset over the city she currently resided in. She was looking out the window in a mid-rise Skyscraper, in the one city she knew she would be the safest, The Vilgax Metropolitan Area. It was constructed during the first year and had only expanded since then. Most renowned as home to “The Man”, as well as the more known place to find “Aliens” living on Earth or to get off of Earth for some.</p><p> </p><p>Her eyes then left the slow, setting dusk to the tower that was within the very center of the city. Despite all that had happened, it seemed “The Man” still had similar tastes, that being the grey/black/green/white color scheme of “Omnitrix Tower”. With the very top of it being one huge Omnitrix symbol, in which he could land his Capital Ship, the “Chimerian Shield” on. Currently, she knew he wasn’t there, as she could “sense” him whenever he was in the city.</p><p>She suspected that the only reason she could even do that was because of… because of…</p><p> </p><p><em> “God Ben… how’d did everything turn out this way?” </em>she again thought to herself in the quiet of the apartment she resided in. She was under a different name, alias, and even ID and Bank Records. All of them forged of course but forged very well. It was the only way she was able to live in the city, and she would rather live in the city with no trouble, than some.</p><p> </p><p><em> “Besides, as soon as he found out I was here…” </em> she shivered at the thoughts that came after. Mainly that she had no idea what he would do if he found out. The very last time they talked, it hadn’t been on great terms… in fact, it was on terrible terms. She hadn’t spoken to him in the twelve years it had been since he… since he left Earth. She didn’t have any idea how much he had grown or changed as a person.</p><p> </p><p><em> “Then again, to quote a Hobbit, “The Closer you are to Danger, the Further you are from harm…” </em> she thought with a small smile. But it didn’t grant her much comfort. For all she knew, despite his actions on Earth, he could be just as cold and ruthless as his father was…</p><p> </p><p><em> “Father…” </em> she thought, the information still dazing her somewhat to even today. It was so… surreal, but true that she just couldn’t believe it at the time… but now it made so much sense. Why he was always somewhat stronger than any other kids his age, why he drank water by the bucketloads some days. Why he was treated as an outcast among the other kids… why he never felt that he truly belong. So many signs, so many things she should’ve noticed that clued her in but… but…</p><p> </p><p>“Benjamin Kirby Tennyson… was really Ben Vil Fra, son of Vilgax the Conqueror, Warlord of Vilgaxia…” she muttered staring at the tower a moment longer, before looking down at the table before her. Upon it, in amazing condition, was the Archamada Book of Spells. Somehow, someway, she was still able to get it despite all the actions and interference Ben had begun when he conqueror Earth.</p><p> </p><p>When he started his “efforts” in maintaining the world, he started by finding any and all Magic Covens on Earth and gave them two options. The first was they could stay on Earth and continue their life and practices… as long as it was under his authority and overwatch. If they refused, they were then given the option to leave the planet and find elsewhere to continue their work.</p><p> </p><p>She knew why he did this, as Mana was extremely effective against anything that was technological, and most of his army was made of autonomous drone forces, among other means. Really, he was either controlling or removing the biggest threat to his control on Earth. Some of the Covens around fought him… and died. All of them efficiently removed and silenced. Those few who submitted to him, combined and formed together under the name of “The Magical Coven of Earth”. A Coven that served his purposes in both researching Mana, and the history of Earth. She was honestly surprised that Ben would actually take an interest in this… and that is why she was looking at the book before her.</p><p> </p><p>Ironically enough, he must’ve forgotten all about the Archamada, because it was still in that same museum in New Orleans from so long ago… She “borrowed” it, and now had it before her. While it was mostly a spellbook, some brief bits of history were able to be gleaned from it. The reason she was so concerned about that was that whenever Ben showed interest in something… it usually meant it was either a threat… or powerful enough to be a threat/tool.</p><p> </p><p>Unlike what her Gra- what Maxwell Tennyson thought, she actually was still very connected in the Plumber Communique. Right now, they were various cells hidden throughout the solar system, since was being colonized alongside Earth’s advancement, but also on Earth itself. Very thin, very small, and very spread out. They were nothing more than mosquitos in Ben’s ears really, just a nuisance.</p><p> </p><p>She closed her eyes and breathed deeply, calming herself from the tears that threatened to reach her eyes. Ever since that day, her Cousin and her once-Grandfather had been at odds… and it has only gotten worse over time. So bad, that she knew if she tried to put the two together in the same room, they’d sooner kill each other than talk. Not that she blamed Ben when… when…</p><p> </p><p><em> “Maxwell disintegrated the Chimerian Hammer with a Nuke, while Vilgax was recovering from a recent fight.” </em> she thought with a small sigh, looking back over to the Omnitrix Tower. The Chimerian Sui Generis who was thought one of the strongest in the galaxy itself, was finally taken down by his arch-nemesis with the first weapon that Maxwell Tennyson used to try and kill him. She had no idea what happened, or how it occurred, but it caused Maxwell to flee into hiding as the entire area from where the Nuke was launched, as it was immediately leveled and turned to dust. The Public thought he was dead, but those few Plumbers or allies out there knew otherwise, that he was orchestrating each move and operation to try and take down Ben.</p><p> </p><p>Maxwell had tried several times to reach out to her over the years, trying to get her involved in this mess of a blood-feud. Each time she just let it ring out, or ignore it. Honestly, with the way things were, she thought the Earth was actually doing far better than it ever had, even during that one time where… where… she was pulled into the future herself to see “Ben 10,000”.</p><p> </p><p><em> “Wait a second…” </em> she thought, before quickly opening her eyes and starting to flip through pages on her book. Her future self had brought her to another timeline along ago, before any of this… complicated stuff happened. In a timeline where Ben never realized that he was Vilgax’s son and that Vilgax never recognized him that day they first met the Intergalactic Terrorist. She hated that version of him almost as she hated this version. He was such a stuck up, idiotic, hero-complex… DOOFUS! But at least he was still somewhat Ben, if colder.</p><p> </p><p>She had no idea what her Ben was like now, except for the few times he appeared on live broadcasts for the Solar System. Or whenever she heard word through the Plumber Communique. All of it always conflicted, some depicting him as just as brutal, violent, and efficient as his father. If not more so, while others said that he was merciful beyond belief. Saving villages from pirate raids in Somalia, dedicating some of his drone forces for three months to create an irrigation system for a small village in Egypt.</p><p> </p><p>So many stories about him… but all of them conflicting, except for a few things. One was that he was always at the front, fighting. That he always talked to whoever he was speaking with personally, never through distant means unless he didn’t have the time. That he was always working for solutions for the parties involved, whether those solutions were civil or violent. He truly was like Ben 10,000 so many years ago… and perhaps that is why the reports were so conflicting. He was trying to be Ben 10,000 to Earth and its people, but also being a Warlord of an Empire when he wasn’t.</p><p> </p><p><em> “But… what if I…?” </em> she thought to herself, wondering if she could make it work. She hated to admit it… but her heart was broken when he left… and has remained shattered even till now. She never found someone as interesting, funny, brave, or just plain… Ben as Ben was. But now that she had this… perhaps just maybe… she could do something. It would take time, this was something she’d need to be absolutely confident about… as she was considering messing with Time, and that always had consequences if done incorrectly. Violent consequences.</p><p> </p><p>Her eyes skimmed, then when back and started to read the pages in this section of the book word for word. Essentially, there was a spell made long ago in order to allow for Time Travel between Timelines, but only in the past. Any attempts made toward the future resulted in the caster and anything around them in thirty meters to disappear and turn to ash. What her past(future?) version must’ve done was use the spell to bring them to the future. Which seemed like it was a workaround for the restrictions the spell outlied to her. But, another section told of the sub-spell of the original. That allowed for the Caster to be in the past for a few minutes, maybe five if she poured as much Mana as she was willing into it. But it needed, as the book said, two things. The “Key” and “Focus”. She instantly decided what the “Key” was, her right hand raising to her neckline, was a golden chain the “Keystone” of the Charms of Bezel was attached and inserted into. It was a… gift… from him long ago. She hadn’t ever taken off, and had used it to recreate the Charms of Bezel too… though she told no one of that. Not even her own parents…</p><p> </p><p><em> “Mom… Dad…” </em> she thought wistfully, remembering how things turned out. After Ben had left, and Maxwell had to reveal everything he was willing to divulge to his family, Frank and Natalie Tennyson left Bellwood behind. She didn’t know what happened to Carl and Sandra… as her parents forbade ever talking to them again after they left. Same with Maxwell, even though he attempted to reach out… but her Uncle and Aunt never did. She always wondered what happened to them.</p><p> </p><p>In any case, she was raised away from that side of her family, and her mother’s side supported them throughout it. They tried to raise her from then on to be a “normal” and proper lady. While she learned her manners… the damage was already done by that point. She was anything but “normal”. So she continued her studies of Mana and Magic in secret, away from any eyes but her own. At least until she was old enough to move out and leave, to which she did. She hadn’t talked to any of them since either, the pain too fresh.</p><p> </p><p>When she was moving out… her mother found the box she had been storing all of her Magical related artifacts. They had a very… large argument. Hurtful words were said on both sides… and she left after. She hadn’t talked to her mother since then, and her mother hadn’t tried to reach out either. She still talked with her father every now and then… but they were short calls. More just letting him she was still alive and well. She couldn’t risk seeing them anyway, as with Ben in complete control, she couldn’t be seen around people she knew. Or else Ben would use them against her… maybe.</p><p> </p><p>Sighing, and rubbing her temples, she forcefully quieted her mind before looking at the book before her. Reading between the lines, trying to deduce what the “Focus” would be for the particular spell. She didn’t know how long she was sitting then when she heard something beeping in her apartment. Blinking, she looked up from holding her head in her hands as she stared at the pages, to see that it was now 1:32 in the morning. Yawning, realizing she was somewhat tired, and that she wasn’t going to figure it out staring at the paper all day, she started to get up.</p><p> </p><p>Then, she remembered that beeping was what disturbed her from her musing and thoughts. She glanced over at the counter, to see the cellphone she had there. It was a throwaway with an untrackable signal, and it would warn her if a trace was active on it. She smirked, glad that those lessons during the summer she got from a “Galvan” Ben were worth it. Moving over, she flipped it open and saw it was another new message from her- from Maxwell. She eyed the notification, before sighing and was about to put it up, when another message came in from him. She narrowed her eyes slowly, biting the inside of her cheek. No matter what, he never sent two messages at a time since he started this habit. This was the first time that he did so… So… she slowly opened the messages… and her breath caught.</p><p> </p><p>Then, like she thought she was seeing things, she quickly rushed back to the Archamada Book of Spells. She laid her phone next to it, now showing the two messages as she read them, or the message and image really… and then the text next to her.</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>“Hey Pumpkin, I know you are really annoyed with me bugging you like this all the time… but this is important. You’re the only one who I know who knows for sure what this might be…”</b>
</p><p> </p><p>The image that came with it was something she couldn’t believe but… she could see it was a picture taken from a Digsite in some dessert. She recognized the equipment and uniforms of the “The Magical Coven of Earth”. She didn’t exactly recognize the area… but she recognized that chamber they were in, lit up with fluorescent lighting. An altar, with six indentations, around a rectangular indentation… with some sort of Tablet make of the deepest purple she’d ever seen. Purple like the Charms of Bezel, like the cover of the Archamada Book of Spells.</p><p> </p><p>The text in the book stated that the chamber was built as a tomb and shrine for the charms and book. That it was to remain locked away forever in order to prevent a similar catastrophe and fate as Atlantis. It was known that the Charms of Bezel were involved in its destruction somehow, in the Magical community at least… but see the actual room. But… that isn’t what had her attention. It was the photo of the Tablet she could see they were removing and putting into a case. That was… that was…</p><p> </p><p>“The Focus…” she breathed out, staring at the image. Then, before she realized it, a plan was forming in her mind. A terrible, absolutely awful, and completely immoral plan but… it was a good plan. Ben always said she was good at plans, and this one was just another one. But the number of sacrifices she’d make… how many people would die? Could she live with that? Would she live with that… and she felt herself shake while she wrapped her hands around the necklace Ben gave her.</p><p> </p><p>“Can I do this? Should I do this? This is practically… it is the universe giving me exactly what I need but… should I?” she muttered to herself, brushing her fingers over the smooth stone surface of the Keystone, feeling and running along the lines carved into it. Then, just like that, her hands stilled… and she breathed in deeply. She already made her choice long ago… this was just another challenge.</p><p> </p><p>“No Matter What Price… No Matter What Cost…” she said with a quiet, but strong conviction, before diving into the book and the spells intently. She wanted to have this spell seared into her brain by tomorrow, as she was already texting back Maxwell. This plan had to work… it had to…</p><p> </p><p>To save herself… and Ben.</p><p> </p><hr/><p>
  <em> December 26th, 2024 </em>
</p><p>
  <em> On Transport Shuttle en route to Omnitrix Tower </em>
</p><p>
  <em> Operation: Reclaim Earth </em>
</p><p>
  <em> 23:53 </em>
</p><hr/><p>She glanced all around her, seeing various other faceless, or in some aliens’ cases, faces of those in the transport with her. She was currently with Sigma and Delta squads, who she could practically sense the fear and anticipation rolling off of. It made her also shiver and feel her blood pump in excitement. She hadn’t been in an actual fight in a while, having trained vigorously up until now by herself, or with various other Plumbers.</p><p> </p><p>Since that day the text came months ago, she had joined up with Maxwell and the Plumber Remnants, under the pretense that she’d been working on the Archamada Book of Spells, trying to find a way to defeat Ben. Which only now came to the fore with the image her- Maxwell had sent. The time spent with them had made her slightly attached, but she still wouldn’t care if all of them died today. If Maxwell died today… as long as they got the Tablet and bought her enough time to do what she needed to do. Their lives are damned…</p><p> </p><p>She explained the plan, and all the information they’d been able to recover from the last few months for this operation. While they continued smaller skirmishes elsewhere, in order to throw Ben’s reckoning off, they would launch a massive strike on “Squid City” and Omnitrix Tower. Where they would infiltrate, destroy anything else that is of value to him, and get that Tablet. Where she would come in and supposedly use it as a focus for a spell that would cast him into a different dimension from theirs… forever.</p><p> </p><p>Of course, that is what she told them all… and her once grandfather never should’ve taught her how to lie so well. They believed it, glad that she now a part of the team. She could tell they were desperate, their actions of the last few months were progressively doing less and less against Ben. Not to mention that he was getting closer and closer to wiping them out. Apparently, before she came, they already lost three cells within a month, a new record for Ben some regarded spitefully. It was extreme willpower that got her through those briefings and all the planning to this moment.</p><p> </p><p><em> “T-minus 30 seconds!” </em> came a voice over the intercom in the shuttle. Everyone started to double-check their equipment while getting up, making sure everything was working and ready for combat. She used the time to close her eyes, pray to whatever entities or deities out there who were watching over her to let her succeed, and to ease the passing of those who would die for her plan and betray today. She may not care if they died, but someone had to pray for their souls…</p><p> </p><p>Then, a jolt, her eyes were open and she jumped out, while some called for her to stop. She quickly created a platform and started to spiral downwards to the ground while the could see the Shuttle landing nearby and deploying the remaining Plumbers. Instantly, all sorts of different types of energy and weapons fire went out. Local drone forces were quickly subjected to disintegration by their hands as they moved fast. She was to cover the rear and exfil angle for the infiltration team. If they failed, there was no escape.</p><p> </p><p>Maxwell had made it clear to all those involved in this Operation that they were likely going to die, and that after Ben was defeated, they were going to be left with very little of what the Plumbers had before the operation. Almost 90% of all the Remnants were involved in the operation. The rest left-back the main base to call for whatever aid they could should they fail. And carry out the goal of the Plumbers, to see Ben Vil Fra fall.</p><p> </p><p><em> “Not like they will be able to do anything if they do fail… everyone is either too young or old to fight should they fail…” </em> she thought to herself, raising one hand and launch a razor-sharp violet mana disc into a drone, bisecting it instantly. The green armor plating and color scheme was a nice touch, she admitted. Better than the angry and dull red that Vilgax used.</p><p> </p><p>They continued like this until they were near the area of the Omnitrix tower. Seeing this, she quickly ordered out positions and firing sectors, blips blinking and acknowledging in affirmative as they moved. She eyed the HUD in front of her face, having her own Plumber Combat Suit before she switched channels and hailed the Infil Team, Beta Squad.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> “This is SigDel, do you copy Beta?” </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> “We copy. We are en route, eta five mikes!” </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> “Solid copy, we’ll hol-” </em>
</p><p> </p><p>She didn’t get a chance to finish before a loud and highly irritating noise interrupted the transmission. She quickly canceled it before going back to the internal squad comes, breathing relieved when she could still hear them.</p><p> </p><p><em> “Beta is on the way, but they were being jammed. Expect company!” </em> she stated, several more blips appeared and blinking in acknowledgment from the squad leaders. Before suddenly they were beset upon by dozens of drones, both ground, and aerial designs. But that isn’t what caught her attention… no… it was the screaming air pressure as a familiar spiked ball tank, now colored in the same deep green metal as the drones landed and rolled towards them at high speeds.</p><p> </p><p>“Get to cover!” she yelled, dodging to the side while shielding her side with a mana shield that was pink, having charged it significantly to withstand the debris flying at her as it sped past. Then, it turned before rolling to a stop near her. Before she had any time to react, the tank split in half to reveal the cockpit area. Then, that hissed open and visible air came out from the controlled environment. She could see his shadow within, but his voice was unmistakable. Even after he got older, she got older and they went through puberty and all that fun stuff. He still sounded like the Ben she used to know.</p><p> </p><p>“Gwendolyn… I must say… it is a surprise to see you here and involved in this…” stated Ben, as he emerged from the tank and Gwen felt herself intake sharply at seeing him. He looked just like his father in many ways, though a bit less muscles and not artificially enhanced like his father. Instead, he wore similar armor made of deep green, lime green, and grey lines and plates. Razor-sharp spines along his shoulders and pauldrons, fanned out the side and back of his body, to prevent side and rear grapples from hand to hand.</p><p> </p><p>His arms were long, strong, and flexed with every movement and twitch, brimming with muscles underneath. Now crossed over an equally armored and muscled chest area, which rose and fell with his breath and shook when he spoke in deeper tones. His legs looked just strong, and the armor around his hips would protect his pelvic areas, even if his hips were offset by a few inches compared to Human Physiology. It allowed him better jumping and kicking really, so no loss there. The thighs, shins, and half of the calves were armored, along with the signature two-toed armored boots of his species…</p><p> </p><p>Chimerian Sui Generis… She looked up at his face, to see it unobstructed of anything, unlike his father. His mouth, fluid sacs, gills, and the tentacles that acted as his beard around his face. But those eyes… those deep green eyes. The same eyes as hers stared back at her. She could the honest confusion… and slight hurt in them. It absolutely pained her, but she pushed through it.</p><p>“What can I say? Figured you’d needed a little… change in your life.” she replied, not wishing to show any intention into her actions and why she was here… as well as not wishing to give away her true loyalties to the other Plumbers fighting near them and could possibly overhear.</p><p> </p><p>He let out a deep and throaty chuckle at this before gesturing his left forearm… where to Omnitrix still resided to this day. She could see it had changed since she last viewed it, a lot more slim and sleek looking. More refined.</p><p> </p><p>“So… you want to go a few rounds for old time sake? Or is this something more personal?” he questioned so nonchalantly as he looked her over. She knew he wasn’t doubting her ability to fight at all, more just wary of how well she could fight. It was true that she hadn’t fought any super bad guys in a while… but fighting with Ben was always like riding a bike… at least she hoped it would be.</p><p> </p><p>“Well… you could say it is personal… But I wouldn’t mind some nostalgia.” she wittily quipped back, which got her a whistle and a hiss from Ben, while he raised his hands a placating manner.</p><p> </p><p>“Alright… I don’t know what I did personally to you… seeing as I’ve left you alone this entire time… but if that is how you want it.” he honestly admitted, and she was surprised at his words. They were real… no lies. No deceit… he really intended to… leave her alone? Then, her temper spiked before she could reign it in and she spat back.</p><p> </p><p>“Oh! I do know! How about leaving the planet then coming back five years ago as a goddamn conqueror Ben! Or, just possibly, that I was terrified that you’d do something to Frank and Natalie! So I stayed hidden…”</p><p> </p><p>He stared her down after that… and the hurt look in his eyes, as well as the guilt, almost made her want to apologize for everything she just said, and everything that ever happened between them that was bad.</p><p> </p><p>“Oh…” he said quietly, his voice actually sounded… disappointed. “You think I would just… harm Frank and Natalie… just cause I thought they might know where you were if I saw you with them? That I am so unreasonable and evil that I’d just attack your family with no provocation?”</p><p> </p><p>As he spoke more and more his tone increased into that familiar rage. That was good, the rage she could work with, not guilt.</p><p> </p><p>“Alright… I’ll show you what means to be attacked without reason Gwen!” he bellowed before suddenly he was within arms reach of her. She quickly raised another shield to which he smashed his fist against. It felt like a small needle just inserted itself into her temple, making her wince, but it withheld… though there were some cracks. Soon enough more hits rained down and she quickly jumped away, casting several discs of mana at him. Several of them he dodged, a few hit him and made him stumble a bit, but her continued his onslaught toward her, tossing away a stray Plumber with a strong backhand. She could even hear the man’s spine turning into the powder from where she was, watching as he was tossed into two others.</p><p> </p><p><em> “Dammit, Ben! I need them to hold on a little longer! Stop killing my time tickets!” </em>she mentally roared, centering her stance in a martial art form she knew well… Karate. Ben stopped and eyed her before he slid into one of his own. Probably something from Vilgaxia that his father taught him. It made her grin behind the helmet, despite the serious and deadly gaze Ben was looking at her with.</p><p> </p><p>Then, as if a signal was said, they rushed to each other and the next thirty moments of her life were the most exhilarating she had in a while. They traded blows, the blocks, kicks, jabs slapped aside, neck chops avoid, combat skin slapping flesh and metal. They were fast-paced in their strikes and fighting, but she was keeping up well enough. She occasionally used her mana discs while he tried to grasp her with his sharp claws.</p><p> </p><p>After another few moments, they separated and breathed in deeply in ragged breaths. Gwen eyeing Ben’s body to some satisfaction, seeing several dents, scuffs, and even tears in the armor. Some cuts on his arms and legs, and a larger cut on his side. All of them leaking a bit of the green fluid she knew was his blood. She wasn’t that much better, she had several fractures and hair fractures on her arms and legs, though the suit was working to dull the pain. Several cuts were being sealed up by the suit, but she knew she was somewhat bloody on the outside.</p><p> </p><p>“Not bad Gwendolyn… You are definitely a bit rusty but it seems as if you been practicing lately…”</p><p> </p><p>“Well like I said, gotta keep you on your toes. Sitting on a throne all day will make you rusty too. That and I was getting bored around there… had no one else as good as me.”</p><p> </p><p>They quickly traded and insulted the other, eyeing the other down. Then, she noticed that Ben actually took the time to look around them, which she did briefly before he sighed and then looked back at her, his gaze intent… full of… confusion. He still didn’t know why she was hear… good. Less chance he can fuck things up like the Doofus he is.</p><p> </p><p>“All jokes aside… why are you here Gwen? I was able to track some messages from Maxwell to you… but you never replied to him. He seemed like he was genuinely convinced you wouldn’t join… yet you have. I know that what I did is bad, not coming to talk to you… or attempting to reach out when I came back… but please… why are you siding with… with… my dad’s killer…”</p><p> </p><p>He asked, finally letting his true thoughts show. She hesitated in that moment, in everything she did. In that moment, she wasn’t so sure of herself, of her plan anymore. At that moment, it was like they were eleven again. Just before…</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> “Get you head in the game. This Ben is your Ben… but you can change everything if you just follow through it. He might not be… at this time. But I can make so he will be… so I will be…” </em>
</p><p> </p><p>She sighed, before glancing around again, seeing Ben waiting on an answer from her. They were honest with each other back then… mostly. She knew Ben found out at some point about Vilgax being his Father from either the source or someone. She never found that out, as Ben never told her. But, that also didn’t matter in the long run. It shouldn’t have changed anything… it shouldn’t have changed how she felt but… it did. Now she was living with the consequences.</p><p> </p><p>“I’ll tell you this much Ben… I may be with that… but it is for my own means. Not his… not theirs.” she replied as honestly as she could, without giving anything away. He eyed her for a moment, nodding as if accepting that answer. He then breathed in deeply, before glancing at the Plumbers.</p><p> </p><p>“What is their goal then…”</p><p> </p><p>“To take you out in this final strike…”</p><p> </p><p>He looked at her seriously at that, as if everything she said prior must’ve been a lie, but she kept her gaze on him. She felt that he could see her green eyes, glowing with her usage of mana, behind the faceless plate of the Plumber Combat Suit. After which, he then raised his eyebrow, or if he had one it would’ve been like that. She still understood the expression anyways.</p><p> </p><p>“What is your part in this… plan then?”</p><p> </p><p>“I’m sorry Ben… That is all I am going to say…” she finished, going back into her fighting stance. He was getting too close to the truth, and his narrowed eyes said it all. Then nodding, he settled back into a stance. He was about to say something it looked like, before he stopped, and narrowed his eyes instead. Then, as before, they both rushed in.</p><p>As she was trading blows some static came in from her helmet before she heard Beta Squad’s leader again through the speakers.</p><p> </p><p><em> “We are one mike from your position SigDel? Do you copy?” </em> <em> <br/></em> <em> <br/></em> <em> “Solid Copy Beta, head to the location I am marking now. Having to work chess around the King right now.” </em></p><p> </p><p>She stated, before quickly swirling away from a kick that would’ve caught her on the stomach. She backflipped twice, before spinning rapidly on the third and creating Mana plates for her hands to anchor on as she sent a heavy kick up into Ben’s jaw, making him fly up and back a few meters from the kick.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> “Solid copy SigDel! We are moving… hurry your butt though! We’ve got some uninvited stragglers.” </em>
</p><p> </p><p>She just mentally commanded her blip to click before she cut the transmission. She needed to end this now, so she started to cast a pretty powerful spell, seeing to gold flakes and her Charms starting to glow a bit as she called on a lot of Mana. But, before she could finish the incantation, She was suddenly knocked onto her back and a heavily armored boot upon her chest and throat. She felt what little air she had left her slightly constricted throat before Ben leaned down and ripped off the helmet, tossing it away.</p><p> </p><p>For a long moment, they just stared at each other, her on the ground looking up into his face… and her looking down onto hers. And just for a moment, she could see it in his eyes… he thought her the most beautiful thing in the galaxy… and while she wished she could be so much more to him… she knew it wouldn’t happen. Not as everything was now. If Ben didn’t hurt Frank and Natalie… Maxwell would after this if she was still alive. She had no choice but to continue on the path and plan she made.</p><p> </p><p>“Where is the Tablet Gwen…”</p><p> </p><p>He asked in such a low tone, but the threat behind it was evident, that much she was sure of. He wasn’t playing around anymore… so she guessed she couldn’t either. Finishing the rest of the cast in her head, and finding some sick satisfaction in his surprised gaze as he tried to move to stop her, she quickly shot him off her with a huge blast of golden mana. He went flying and up, crashing hard into Omnitrix Tower. It wouldn’t keep him down for long, but hopefully long enough.</p><p> </p><p>She quickly got up and started to run even if her body and lungs screamed at her. She breathed in greedily when her diaphragm finally recovered and kept running. Anyone else around her didn’t matter now. Her goal was in sight… the one thing she wanted being so close she could practically feel it in her hands. She rushed down a few more streets, before bursting through two windows in a shop, rolling out to where Beta should be.</p><p> </p><p>Which they were, just down the street, running from… she recalled them being called Cockroaches by the Plumbers. Essentially, they were like Vilgax’s Aerial designs for his drone forces, but Ben modified them. Instead, they were now land-based only, but their six legs allowed them to shoot and move/grip upon any surface. Allowing them unprecedented firing capability. Which she could see was starting to thin out the Plumbers in the squad. She didn’t care as she muttered words for another spell, seeing the briefcase they were carrying being ripped from the carrier’s hands. Into her own.</p><p> </p><p>She then ran after that, despite the yells she heard behind her, or if anything was even pursuing her. She didn’t care, but she kept running. Running until she found a very quiet spot, where the fighting was taking place far away. She waited a few moments, waited for anything. More drones… more Plumbers… Ben. But nothing came, so she quickly opened the briefcase and grinned. Pulling out the Tablet, she quickly set it against the brick wall near her. Reaching into storage pouches on her waist, she quickly drew the required diagrams for the spell on the wall… for the portal. Then, after she was satisfied… she started to gather mana as she spoke the words clearly.</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>“Time Flows Unending, Unrelenting, Unbending</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>It cannot be changed, will not be changed. As ever-flowing like a River in Time.</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>But I am a Stone in the River of Time! My place can be moved and rearranged.</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>Just as a Stone on the Riverbed can move, so I will in the River of Time.</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>Here me, and obey my command. I seek to cast my stone.</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>My Stone on the River Bed.”</b>
</p><p> </p><p>She opened her eyes and felt the power surged from her… from the Charms of Bezel… into the Tablet before her. Soon enough, a golden hue portal would appear… and she would think of the exact date… today… 21 years ago… then, giving a last look around as the portal finalized itself. She would create a golden barrier, the strongest she ever made, with almost all of the leftover mana she had… before stepping in.</p><hr/><p>
  <em> December 27th, 2004 </em>
</p><p>
  <em> Frank and Natalie Tennyson Residence; Gwendolyn Rose Tennyson’s Bedroom </em>
</p><p>
  <em> 01:01 </em>
</p><hr/><p>Gwendolyn didn’t know what she felt her breath still… or why she felt compelled to look around and just… remember for a few seconds after she stepped through. Her room was exactly like it was that day many years ago. It was just after her birthday party, and she went to bed early as her parents had promised to take her to the lake tomorrow… Grandpa Max coming along too for a fishing trip. It was going to be fun, as she remembered. She smiled faintly, knowing and wishing were too different things. Sighing, she stopped her trip through her memories. She only had so long to do this, and she needed to be clear. She needed to fix everything… but she could only fix one thing. The most important thing… the only one that mattered.</p><p> </p><p>She slowly moved over and sat on the edge of the bed, her old bed, before gently shaking the shoulder of her younger self. There were a few moments where she thought she’d have to shake her again, but it was unneeded. Soon enough the rustling of the covered in the golden light of the portal and the shifting body showed the barely ten-year-old face all scrunched up in annoyance from being woken and the light of the portal.</p><p> </p><p>“Mom? Why-” and before she could finish a yawn forced itself out the mouth of her younger self. Gwendolyn smiled, before waiting for her past self to finish waking up.</p><p> </p><p>“Why are you waking me up so early unless it already mor-” started Gwen as she opened her eyes. Then, she stopped, seeing several things that one could say were… alarming. The first being that there was an unknown stranger, a woman by the silhouette from the light. The second being that there was a golden and glowing portal of some sort in her room. Taking all of this in, as calmly as she was, she then spoke up in a soft but threatening tone.</p><p> </p><p>“Alright. I don’t who or what the fuck you are… but you best go back through that portal if you know what is good for you!” she hissed out, surprised by her language, and then blaming her dumb Doofus of a Cousin for teaching her the word anyway. The woman just giggled before sighing sadly and shaking their head. Which revealed that she had… hair just the same shade and color as her own, and her mother’s. That threw her off a bit, as well the voice that came after.</p><p> </p><p>“Well, I do know what is good for me… as that is why I am here. That, and I don’t feel like wasting all of the mana I conjured to get here from the future… so that is gonna be a pass… Gwen…”</p><p> </p><p>Her breathing hitched, as she realized that… that…</p><p> </p><p><em> “That is my voice… sure a bit more grown-up… but this my voice…” </em>she thought in a surprised tone in her head. She was completely stunned, now looking over the woman as best as she could. She could see five glowing stones or runes on her right arm, and another glowing stone/rune underneath the suit she was wearing. Her face had matured quite a bit… and she had ear piercings. Though she could see some… blood and sweat on it. And on her body too...</p><p> </p><p>“I don’t have time to explain everything right now Gwen… You’ll figure that out on your own, I know that for sure because you are me. So, instead… just listen.”</p><p> </p><p>Gwen and Gwendolyn looked at one another for a long moment before Gwen slowly nodded in agreement. Smiling sadly, the future version of herself began in a soft voice.</p><p> </p><p>“I am from a future that I regret every moment of. Because I made a terrible choice… and it cost me everything. Do not worry about me… we will never see each other again after this. The laws of the Universe and Magic will not allow it. So don’t waste your time on what was…”<br/><br/>“You will learn to control and harness magic as I can soon… sooner than you think really. Let it grow with you, don’t lose yourself in the power. You must go on the Summer Trip with your Grandfather and Benjamin Kirby… Tennyson…” stated the woman, though her voice hitched a bit toward the end. She then seemed to wipe away tears from her eyes, before looking at Gwen seriously.</p><p> </p><p>“Everything that will happen you cannot change. Not how it starts… but you can change the choice I made when the time comes. What will happen to Ben, you cannot control. What he is… you cannot control that either. Your friendship with him will grow during the Summer… and beyond it. Don’t give it up for anything… and trust your heart, Gwen… I tried to trust mine but… I let fear rule me instead. Don’t let anything stop you from following your heart…”</p><p> </p><p>Then, the woman leaned in and Gwen could see the same eyes as cleary as if she was looking into a mirror. They stayed like for a moment, before she leaned in and kissed her cheek, whispering.</p><p> </p><p>“I tried to fix so many things… and I never did Gwen. But… I know that if there was anything I did fix… it was us. Please… don’t make the choices I did… don’t… do not suffer as I did. Remember… keep him close… and follow your heart…”</p><p> </p><p>With that, and a reassuring hug, the future version of herself smiled down at her as she rose, and then stepped back through the portal with her back turned… but she looked as if the end was coming. One more look over her shoulder before she stepped through the portal, those eyes conveying so much to her… she could practically feel and see what everything her future self had… and then she was gone.</p><p> </p><p>Gwen didn’t know how long she was staring at the same spot where the portal once was. But, she eventually felt her eyes droop and she laid back on her pillow, closing her eyes and falling asleep.</p><hr/><p>
  <em> December 27th, 2004 </em>
</p><p>
  <em> Frank and Natalie Tennyson Residence; Gwendolyn Rose Tennyson’s Bedroom </em>
</p><p>
  <em> 09:09 </em>
</p><hr/><p>Gwen awoke with a yawn, stretching languidly upon her mattress as she moved and stretched her muscles for the morning. She kept trying to remember the foggy memory or dream she had last night but was escaping her at the moment.</p><p> </p><p><em> “Note to self… no more midnight snacks…” </em> she thought and opened her eyes to get out of the bed… and she stopped cold. Frozen on the spot, where her eyes had landed on the muck and bloodstains on her blanket. Where her future self was last night or early morning… and told her that message. With quickness, she was even surprised by, she quickly grabbed up her pencil and Dream Journal. She quickly wrote everything down she noticed, and the message the woman had left with her. After she was done and satisfied it was what she wanted, she tore it out. She then folded the paper carefully and neatly, before hiding it in one of her best spots.</p><p> </p><p>She then laid back and stared at the ceiling, running the night through her head… and it would run through her head all the way until that summer. That she knew, as it was so real and surreal that she just couldn’t forget it… wouldn’t forget it. It was a warning… a warning of a terrible fate. A fate she wouldn’t let befall herself and… if the woman was right… her Doofus of a Cousin.</p><p> </p><p>She had to go…</p><hr/><p>
  <em> June 1st, 2005 </em>
</p><p>
  <em> Frank and Natalie Tennyson Residence </em>
</p><p>
  <em> 4:01 </em>
</p><hr/><p>Gwen smiled when she saw the Rust Bucket pulling up in front of her house since her school let her out an hour earlier than when Ben’s would. Thus, it gave her plenty of time to be with Grandpa Max before the Doofus would come in and ruin everything. But, she felt her back pocket, where she put her Dream Diary and folded within a sleeve on the cover, was that page from that day. It was hard to imagine that whatever happened to her future self would be this trip… but she was prepared as she could be. She trained extra hard, now having a bit of a reputation in her Karate Class, as well as having achieved her Yellow belt just before the trip. She was confident in her abilities to be sure, despite whatever may happen. She also looked intently on the web for anything truly “Magic” that her future self mentioned. The only thing that she got in reference was that there were these “Charms of Bezel”, which her future self seemed to be wearing and was probably the source or a source of her Magical ability. That and some ancient books that had spells… but was lost to time, like these Charms of Bezel. In any case, not much to work off of, but it was a start. That, and her future self had said she’d get Magic this Summer… so she was so looking forward to trying out some spells she thought looked authentic.</p><p>Then, seeing the side door open and her Grandpa in his classic tacky cargo shorts and red Hawaiian t-shirt. She grinned and raced out the front door while hearing her parents chuckle behind her. She didn’t care as she reached the man as he was only a few steps from the RV and hugged him hard. He chuckled while patting her and looking up toward her parents.</p><p>“Do you need any help son?” asked her grandfather to her dad, with Frank Tennyson, just smiling a bit before shaking his head, only carrying to sizable suitcases, which had everything Gwen would need for the Summer.</p><p>“Nah, thanks, Dad. This is everything that she will need… now be good, will you Pumpkin? Especially for Max when your Cousin is there too…” he stated, his tone mostly no-nonsense, though there was a bit of humor in it.</p><p>“DAD!” she squealed in annoyance while he chuckled before she smiled and nodded all the same. “I’ll try not to get too rough with the Doofus…”</p><p>“Well, someone had to be there to keep those two Tennyson Men in line, so go get them okay Silly Bean?” asked her mother, Natalie Tennyson nee Larrson. Gwen smiled brightly and nodded, with a quick “Okay!”.</p><p>With that, and a few last moment exchanges, Gwen stowed all of her stuff away for now while she moved up to the front and her grandpa started the engine. She down at the breakfast table and looked out the window… her mind clouded by that night… and the words her future self said to her.</p><p>“Follow my heart huh…?”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Hope you all enjoyed the brief chapter of this story, and I will be trying to post more on a regular basis. Since it still somewhat of a fresh idea, I am not that many chapters or really that far ahead at all... but given the amount I already have so far besides this chapter, I would say to expect an update every two weeks. So, until then.</p><p>M001BoundedOmnipresence</p></blockquote></div></div>
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